If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Last day for someone to offer a trade for Mike Wallace

There's still a chance for a team to swoop in, literally at the last minute now to try and steal away Mike Wallace. If somebody does want his services, this is the day we were going to see it. After all the initial hype and frenzy about so many teams wanting him, many feel if an offer is going to come it would be on the last day. If Wallace is still wanting that $120+ million contract, nobody will come within a mile of him.

Just sign the deal man, if you have an ounce of sense in your head you know the Steelers will make good on their word to keep you on the team long term. Holding out is not the answer if you truly want to stay in Pittsburgh.

As the hours tick away on Mike Wallace's opportunity to sign with another team today, so too does the life of restricted free agency for drafted players in the NFL.

Wallace has until midnight to sign with another team or the Steelers retain exclusive rights to him. That would leave three choices for Wallace and the Steelers: Either he signs his one-year tender for $2,745,000, comes to terms on a multiple-year deal with them, or he sits out.

Either way, Wallace and those like him who were drafted and became restricted free agents after three years in the league are on their way toward extinction, thanks to the new collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players union.The CBA, hammered out last year, mandates that starting with the draft class of 2011, all players chosen in rounds two through seven must sign four-year contracts; those selected in the first round sign five-year deals -- four years plus a fifth at the team's option.

Restricted free agency will be left only to those rookies who are undrafted. Because the length of their contracts are not mandated by the CBA, rookies can sign with a team for any negotiated number of years. If an undrafted rookie chooses to sign for three years, he will become a restricted free agent when his deal expires. - Ed Bouchette

Obviously, Wallace is not as highly valued as a superstar which he and his agent seem to think he should be. Yes he is fast and one of the league's top deep threats, but the deep ball is not a major part of most offenses these days.
I doubt that under Haley the Steelers will take as many shots down the field. It's actually a rather low percentage play; but that didn't stop Arians from going to this well way too often,which is why he a and his 22 points-per-game offense is gone.
In 2012, Wallace will need to prove his value in terms of shorter routes, and in terms of how many yds. after the catch he can get. Antonio Brown may be better in those areas. Sanders is a bit of a question mark because of injuries.
It's a bit of a longshot, but would not be too oversurprised if Steelers use their 1rst round pick to go after Stanford TE Toby Fleener, to give them that Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham type of weapon. One thing is sure: Steeler Offense will be different in 2012. It has to become more potent if Steelers are to beat top teams: NE, GB, NO, etc.